I've been trying to see if there are any photos worth showing but I think I was shaking too much.

We'd seen a black rhino in the vicinity before while out on a sunset drive but I didn't have my camera then, when he was nice and relaxed. Last Nov when we saw him he was a bit agitated as there was a fire burning nearby and just charged the car. Not very seriously but he didn't like us being there.

Want to say Thank You or Well Done to a fellow 'mite? Why not nominate them for a Kudu?

Rhinos all of them are facinating, I was just reading some very good info about black Rhino.

They have truly incredible memories, hearing and vocalisation communication.

Theirs is a hidden and complex world of scent and chemistry, their social system is complex, their body language and vocalisations subtle

Rhinos have myopic vision, but this is no handicap, but merely that they don't need their eyes in view of the sophistication of their other senses. For instance, they have phenomenal hearing. Our orphaned rhinos can detect the approach of another rhino half an hour before the animal actually becomes visible. A rhino's "Come Here" call to a loved one is no more than a soft exhalation of breath that is barely audible but which carries far and wide and is also used between mother and young. The rhino repertoire of louder sounds is equally as impressive -- long drawn out snorts that resemble a nose blow which signify alarm, a mewing noise like a kitten which is a "wanting" sound, and a loud terrifying roar more akin to the voice of a lion when angry and prepared for combat.

David Sheldrick, Trust

The memory of a rhino is also phenomenal. Having carefully and meticulously explored their surroundings only once, a new orphan can then take it at a gallop and never collide with any obstacle, moving swiftly and surely simply by memory and scent.

David Sheldrick Trust

So many fantastic things I never knew. Like they have extremely sensitive skin......

Touch a rhino with a feather, and it will immediately respond. Rhino skin has an ample blood supply very close to the surface and, in fact, when the animal is in poor health, the skin "bleeds", coating the animal. in a what looks like tar, but, in fact is dried blood.

As these animals are very rigidly territorial males fpr example will have on average depeding on suitability a territory of only approx 3.4-4.7 km with water within a 5km radius. Chances are when you know where they hang out you will be able to see one with a bit of luck.

Interesting to think of Black Rhinos as moving about in basicaly complete blindness at night and doing so with complete ease, no trouble at all, just memory smell and hearing. This might add to explain the less understood rigid territory because they have to memorise every detail an advantage with predators I imagine. And the gentle approach to each other at night.

squirrel_asc wrote:Very interesting information about the parasites! We were lucky to see this guy on our last trip to Kruger. We thought he was in a fight, but now we know better

Nice sighting squirrel. Yes its facinating black Rhino carry all sorts of parasites a few even completely exclusive or specific to them. Gyrostigma rhinocerontis for example is a facinating one, though this isn't the one that causes the weeping sores behind the shoulders on most Black Rhino......it the largest fly in Africa.

Gyrostigma, resembles a wasp, and is a beautiful metallic blue with scarlet legs and head stripe, but devoid of mouth parts. Once this fly has hatched from a pupa in the ground, it must find a living rhino within its five day life span in order to to begin its mysterious life-cycle anew.The eggs of the Gyrostigma fly, which are minute, oblong shaped and white, are laid in the soft striated indentations of the skin around the neck and head, and after some six days hatch into tiny "inchworms" no larger than the comma of a typewriter. At first it was assumed that these worked their way along to either the nose or mouth of the animal, but in fact, by observing them we discovered that they simply bore straight through the hide and from there somehow end up within the stomach itself.

Another animal to look out for, stunning wasp looking fly!

Very little is known about this quaint and very beautiful insect not only because it's life span is so short and it is so easily mistaken for a wasp, but also because it is crepuscular and as such very elusive, active only at dawn and at dusk. Most of its life cycle is spent in the form of a large and rather revolting looking beetle like "bot" that shares the rhino's food resource actually inside its stomach in a seemingly symbiotic relationship. Many rhinos harbour large infestations of bots which might possibly become parasitic should the animal be in poor physical condition.

Love the word "crepuscular" active at dawn and dusk. Tigers are crepuscular and mosquitoes too

Nobody knows how long a bot remains in the stomach of the rhino, but eventually it is passed in the dung to pupate in the ground with the first rains, but only if the rains are going to be substantial and conditions promise to be just right - otherwise the bots simply stay put until the next season, sometimes appearing briefly at the anal orifice to take a look around, and if conditions don't suit them, hurrying back in!

How fascinating. Thanks very much Koen for the info. I also thought that the wounds were battle scars until informed via the Black rhino section a couple of years ago - but not in such great detail. The wonders of nature.

I’ve been following this thread for some while and there have been some great sightings . I have posted this sighting before but I guessed the more pics of these beautiful creatures the better . Saw this family (Male + Female and Calf) last year somewhere… . Was a great sighting until the male spotted us and charged us Here are a few pics.

Wow tballthose are stunning pictures, classic black rhino ears and posture. I love and I know this is all fleeting but I love the way they read the air head just slightly tilted eishhhh I would love to know whats going through their minds?

What smells must mean to them what decides a charge, or a hasty retreat. Little ox pecker in attendance, also looking and deciding. Charming stuff.

It was indeed a once in a lifetime sighting for us . Both pics are actually mother and calf, the male was following them from a safe distance, he was hiding just behind the bushes. We managed to get one picture of him, but how I already mentioned, as soon as he set eye on us/ sensed us, he charges us. Here’s the male.

Ian Grant wrote:Saw the most peaceful Black Rhino taking a drink on Saturday evening. He drank for about 5min before casually investigating his surroundings, and then slowly made his way into the thick bush and out of sight.

I must have been blessed, because I've seen blackies every time I've been to Kruger.

The last time, in 2011, I was driving around when one ventured out onto the main road right next to me and continued to pass behind me to the other side, hardly giving me time to take a picture. Had to wait until it was in a 'Kodak moment' position.Poor thing, it was injured. A deep cut in its side, bleeding well. Don't know how that would have happened.(visible on picture)

Xankanka wrote:Poor thing, it was injured. A deep cut in its side, bleeding well. Don't know how that would have happened. (visible on picture) Xankie

Xankie the sores are quite normal for black Rhino and almost everyone you see will have them to some degree.That one looks a bit worse, could have been caused by the sores getting caught on thorns etc.